Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DEEP RIBBED ~.- J~ll~ _ .A PANEL
This invention relates to a deep ribbed composite
thermoinsulating panel.
Deep ribbed composite thermoinsulating panels are known,
comprising two metal facings and an insulating layer
interposed therebetween. The two facings are preferably in
the form of galvanized steel, Alnminillm, copper or StAinl~ss
steel sheet, and the insulating layer i5 of foamed
polyurethane or mineral wool. They are mainly used in roof
~"~L,a~Lion.
In particular, panels are known comprising a solid
longitudinal rib (male rib) along one edge and a hollow
longitudinal rib (female rib) along the opposite edge. During
installation, the male rib of an already installed panel
already fixed to the underlying purlins is embraced by the
female rib of the adjacent panel, so providing -roof
continuity.
A drawback of these known panels is that their
installation requires the use of screws, which pass through
the tow facings and are fixed into the underlying purlins.
There is hence the need to drill the panel, involving the
risk of infiltration through the roof when formed.
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Another drawback is that to prevent such infiltration or
to rapidly disperse it, the panels have to be arranged with a
slope of not less than 7~.
A further drawback is that the screws for fixing the
panels to the purlins must be of special type, in particular
with their head comprising a plastic coating, to prevent any
alteration wLth time due to the climatic conditions to which
they are exposed.
A further drawback is that as the joint between adjacent
panels is made substantially at the purlins, to which both
are fixed, there is no guarantee of tight fitting between the
panels in those regions removed from the purlins, because the
inevitable deformation to which the panels are subjected, for
example because of their weight, means that perfect mating
betveen their adjacent edges cannot be ensured.
According to the invention all these drawbacks are
eliminated through a deep ribbed composite thermoinsulating
panel as described in claim 1.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is
described in detail hereinafter with reference to the
ac~ ~nying drawings, in which:
Figure l is a perspective view of a panel according to the
invention;
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Flgure 2 i6 an enlarged perspective detailed view of one of
the elastic plates provided on one edge of the panel
in ~OLL~ n~e with the solid rib;
Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective ~f li 1Pd view of a panel
during its connection to another panel already fixed
to the purlins;
Figure 4 is an animated detailed view of the connection
between two panels shown in cross-section taken at a
purlin fixing screw; and
Figure 5 shows the same animated detail shown in cross-
section taken at an elastic plate.
As can be seen from the figures, the panel according to
the invention comprises an outer metal facing 2, an inner
metal facing 4 and a layer of insulating material 6
interposed between the two. The outer facing 2 is in the form
of sheet metal, preferably of galvanized steel, aluminium,
copper or c~A;nl~cc steel, either bare or prepainted on its
inside to facilitate gripping by the layer of insulating
material 6. It comprises tall longitudinal ridges 8 the
purpose of which is to stiffen the product and to create
~h~nn~l c for dispersal of rain water, and also comprises
light transverse ridges 10 having the double purpose of
stiffening and of making slight face planarity defects.
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In the embodiment shown on the drawings, the panel
comprises a single inner longitudinal ridge 8 of trapezoidal
shape, filled internally with the same thermoinsuIating
material as forms the layer 6.
5The inner facing 4 is of flat sheet metal, generally of
lesser th;r~np~5 than the outer facing 2 and preferably of
galvanized steel or Alnm;n;llm sheet, bare or prPp~;ntPd on
its outer side and prepainted on its inner side to facilitate
gripping by the insulating layer 6.
10The insulating layer 6 can consist of a single material
or can be _ ~~e' of several materials; the most commonly
used materials are foamed polyurethane and mineral wool,
preferably of orientated fibre type.
In the panel according to the invention the outer facing
152 extends beyond the longitudinal edge of the panel to form a
female rib 12 which on installing the panel is made to
embrace, as described hereinafter, the male rib 14 provided
along the opposite edge of the adjacent panel. The female rib
~ 12 has an inwardly bent free edge 16 and, in a position
20facing this, an undercut 18.
At the same edge of the panel according to the
invention, the insulating layer 6 extends in proximity to the
inner facing 4 to form a sort .of longitudinal ridge 20
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I covered by the facing itself. The male rib 14 provided along
the opposite edge of the panel differs from the central
trapezoidal ridge 8, and in particular comprises in that side
facing the panel interior a groove 22, and ~ese.lL~ on the
opposite side a longitudinal cut-away part 24, completely
covered by the outer facing 2 and having its free edge 26
bent upwards to externally bound said cut-away part 24.
Along the same edge of the panel, the insulating layer 6
comprises a further longitudinal cut-away part 28
substantially complementary to the ridge 20 provided along
the opposite edge and, as in the case of this latter, covered
by the inner facing 4.
To the outer facing 2 there are also applied a plurality
of coupling ~1~ Ls 30, consisting of elastic plates each
provided with a tooth 32 cooperating, as described
hereinafter, with the undercut 18 of the female rib 12.
The elastic plates 30 are fixed to the lower side of the
outer facing 2 at equal distances apart, preferably by a
continuous automatic process.
The pLoceduL~ for installing the panels according to the
invention is as follows:
- the first panel is positioned on the purlins 34 and is
~ securely fixed to it by screws 36,. which are applied at the
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longitudinal cut-away part 24, to pass through both the
facings 2 and 4 and the insulating layer 6, to engage in
each purlin 34. A seal washer (not shown on the drawings)
is preferably interposed between the head of each screw 36
and the underlying portion of outer facing 2.
The bent outer edge 16 of the female rib 12 of the
second panel, held ; n~l; n~d to the first panel, is then
engaged in the longitudinal groove 22 of the male rib 14 of
the first panel, after which the second panel is rotated,
while maintaining the ~lly~y-. L, until it assumes a position
coplanar with the first. In this manner the plates 30 are
made to yield elastically towards the interior of the cut-
away part 24 until the coupling tooth 32 of each plate 30
engages in the undercut 18 of the female rib 12 of the second
panel, the ridge 20 of which engages in the cut-away part 28
Or the first panel. on termination of this operation, ie when
the second panel rests on the purlins 34 and is coplanar with
the first panel, its ridge 20 is engaged in the cut-away 28
thereof and the undercut 18 of its female rib 12 is engaged
by the coupling tooth 32 of all the elastic plates 30, the
second panel can also be fixed by screws 36 to the purlins
34, to allow the third panel to then be installed, and so on
until the roof is complete.
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From the aforegoing it i5 apparent that the panel
according to the invention is considerably more advantageous
than traditional panels, and in particular:
- both facings 2 and 4 of each panel are engaged by the
screws 36 which, because their head is located in the cut-
away part 24 of each male rib 14 which is then covered by
the C~L r -~L~ ; nq feDale rib 12, are protected from the
weather and can be of a type normally available
~ ~ially, ie without a plastic coating;
- it ensures an effective connection between adjacent panels
along the entire length of their contacting edges, and not
only at the purlins;
- all fixing points are totally hidden from view;
- a longitudinal channel is present along the cut-away part
24 of each male rib 14; this channel is bounded externally
by the upwardly bent edge of the outer facing 2, and
because of the application of the elastic plates 30 to the
lower side of the outer facing ensures complete dispersal
of any water which may infiltrate into the joint. This
complete dispersal achieved by virtue of the channel also
enables the panel slope to be reduced from 7%, repr~c~nting
the currently minimum value, to 3%;
- ensures an effective mechanical connection between the
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outer facing 2 and the insulating layer 6 becau~e of the
application of the el~stic plates 30 to the lower ~ide of
said outer facing.
